Smart Papers Closes Ohio PM

http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/middletown-news/layoffs-continue-at-smart-papers-1333882.html

SMART Papers continued layoffs Friday as it winds down its paper mill business here.

In spite of the layoffs, executives of the city’s last running paper mill said they are still aggressively looking for buyers.

SMART this week shut its single paper machine down on Friday.

Standard Register Reports 2011 Revenue

Standard Register Reports a $648.1 Million Revenue for 2011: Standard Register today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2011. The Company reported revenue of $161.4 million and a net loss of $95.5 million, or $3.28 per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2011.

Penton's Technology Media to Go Digital

Penton's technology media group to go all-digital: Penton Media's technology media group announced that it will cease printing its magazines, which will become entirely digital brands beginning in May.

FT Group Digital & Subscription Revenues Up

Digital, Subscription Revenues Ever More Important for FT Group:
Since 2007, the Financial Times Group has grown its digital business from a quarter of overall revenues to almost half, says Pearson in its 2011 financials. While traditional lines of business are flat or down, the group is placing a premium on digital and subscription revenues.

2012 Ad Spend to "Significantly" Improve

Report: US advertising spend to "significantly" improve in 2012: Total U.S. advertising spend is expected to increase 2.7% to $152.1 billion in 2012, according to a forecast conducted by research firm Strategy Analytics. A Strategy Analytics statement described the jump as "significant improvement."

St. Mary's Paper Workers "Prepare for Worst"

http://www.saultstar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3479978
The cone of silence has descended upon the court-appointed receiver's sales process, nobody is willing to confirm whether its new ownership, or liquidation, for the Sault Ste. Marie specialty paper manufacturer and silence speaks volumes to the union.

M-real Stops UWF Production at Gohrsmuhle Mill

http://www.paperage.com/2012news/02_24_2012mreal_gohrsmuhle_mill.html
M-real announced that it has decided to discontinue uncoated fine paper and "unprofitable" speciality paper production at its Gohrsmuhle mill in Germany.
As a result of the measure, M-real’s annual uncoated fine paper capacity will be reduced by approximately 120,000 tonnes and speciality paper capacity by 70,000 tonnes.

Domtar & Appleton Sign $3B Deal

Domtar signs $3B, 15-year supply deal with Appleton to provide uncoated base paper for thermal, carbonless, and other specialty papers: Appleton and Domtar Corporation today announced a tentative agreement in which Domtar would supply Appleton with most of the uncoated base paper the company needs to produce its thermal, carbonless, and other specialty paper products. T

Resolute Wins Cease Trade Decision

Resolute succeeds in obtaining cease trade decision:
AbitibiBowater Inc., doing business as Resolute Forest Products, has announced that the Bureau de décision et de révision (Québec) has accepted, with immediate effect, the company’s application to cease trade Fibrek Inc.‘s private placement of 32,320,000 special warrants to Mercer International Inc. Fibrek announced they will appeal the decision.

Quad/Graphics Awarded All Rite Aid Insert Work

Quad/Graphics Lands All of Rite Aid’s Print and Digital Insert Work: Quad/Graphics Inc. will become the exclusive printer of retail inserts for Rite Aid Corp. under a new multiyear agreement that also includes producing digital online editions of Rite Aid’s weekly newspaper circular promotions.

Asset International Launches New Title

Asset International to launch 'Philanthropy Management' magazine: Asset International, a b-to-b financial publisher, plans to launch a new quarterly print publication, Philanthropy Management, next month.

January Global Pulp Deliveries Fall

Global pulp deliveries fell by 12.9% to 3.535 million tonnes in January, down from a revised 4.059 million tonnes the previous month, according to Pulp and Paper Products Council data. Shipments were 3.1% higher than the year-earlier period, up from 3.428 million tonnes in January 2011.

Papermakers; Wood Pulp Could be Replaced

http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2012/February/cellulose-nanomaterial-paper-environment.asp 

New nanocellulose material (made up of units of cellulose, a biopolymer) may soon help paper products producers cut costs by serving as a replacement for wood pulp, the Royal Society of Chemistry reported on Feb. 21. The new material would allow producers to increase the filler content in their paper, cutting their production costs by about 3%. Producers would also cut their paper’s carbon footprint by at least 15% and reduce the energy used to dry the paper by 30%.

AF&PA on Biomassed Product Procurement

http://www.afandpa.org/pressreleases.aspx?id=2458

AF&PA President and CEO Donna Harman released the following statement today in response to President Obama’s memorandum directing the federal government to increase procurement of biobased products. “The forest products industry is a leader in sustainability and makes renewable, recyclable biobased products that provide over 900,000 U.S. jobs supporting families and communities in mostly rural areas across our country..."

AF&PA Submits Boiler MACT Comments to EPA

http://www.afandpa.org/pressreleases.aspx?id=2459

The American Forest & Paper Association today submitted comments on the Boiler MACT rules to the EPA.  The Boiler MACT rules also include the Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration rule, Non-Hazardous Secondary Materials rule and Boiler GACT rule. 

Fibrek Reports Q4 Loss

Fibrek reports a net loss of $79.9 million in 4th quarter:

Fibrek is reporting a net loss of $79.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2011, compared with net earnings of $2.6 million for the corresponding period of 2010.

Hearst Digital Media Expands ELLE Partnership

Hearst Digital Media Expands ELLE Partnership with Style Coalition:
In addition to a new portfolio of magazines, Hearst also inherited ELLE’s partnership with the Style Coalition blog network during its 2011 Hachette acquisition. Hearst Digital Media will expand this partnership to include Hearst’s 28 digital properties; its ad team will also sell Style Coalition display advertising, in addition to using SC resources to create custom programs for marketing clients.

Dirt Rag Wins Aveda Environmental Award

http://www.foliomag.com/2012/dirt-rag-wins-2012-aveda-environmental-award-magazines

Aveda and the Green America Better Paper Project named the winners of the 2012 Aveda Environmental Award for Magazines. Dirt Rag, a mountain biking magazine, earned this year’s top spot. Kansas City’s green living publication Greenability landed the runner-up nod, and GRIT completes the top trio as finalist. The award recognizes the best in sustainable publishing practices in the consumer and b-to-b sectors.

NAPL and PIA Discuss Unification

NAPL and PIA Form Task Force to Explore Unification: At a meeting held prior to the Vision 3 conference a group of industry leaders convened to explore opportunities to unify NAPL and PIA.

HP Reports FY Q1 Results

HP Net Profit Drops 44%: HP today announced financial results for its first fiscal quarter ended January 31, 2012. For the quarter, net revenue of $30.0 billion was down 7% from the prior-year period, and down 8% when adjusted for the effects of currency.